by Pearl Foxx
The canopy of the jungle hung low. Branches brushed against her head, and every turn they took felt like they were venturing further into some exotic Neverland from which there was no escape. The baby clinging tightly to her shoulder with his face hidden beneath her hair kept her grounded; without him, she would have certainly freaked out by now.
Now and then, she reached out and placed a hand on Nestan’s arm or back for balance. She wished he would reassure her everything was okay or, at least, say something to her. But once he had helped her over whatever rock or tree that caused her to lose her footing, he would pull away again with a tight-lipped frown and impenetrable eyes.
The Katu moved almost as silently as Nestan through the jungle around her. They were so quiet she could almost forget they were there. Through her cheap boots, her feet ached with the dense moisture of the jungle. With every step, she had to stifle a whimper of pain.
She had only been here less than twenty-four hours, and Jude had been here months. Linnea couldn’t imagine what Jude must have been going through during that time. Her sister was strong, stronger than Linnea had ever been, but there was no way even Jude could survive in this jungle surrounded by Vilkas and Katu and whatever other clans Nestan had mentioned but she didn’t understand. She hoped against hope Jude had never encountered a slimy, sharp-toothed Hyla like the one who had wanted to take her as his own prize.
Tears filled her eyes, and as much as she tried to focus on staying strong, soon she was wiping tears away from her face. The dirt and grime came away on the back of her hand, reminding her how dirty, exhausted, and hungry she was. She hadn’t slept in … she couldn’t remember how long.
What had she been thinking? Had she really thought she could save her sister?
As her tears fell, Nestan turned to her and lifted one eyebrow.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she snapped.
If she’d blinked, she would have missed it. His expression shuttered as he guarded himself against her tone. He closed off. Just like that. She wanted to kick herself.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I don’t mean to be rude. I’m just so tired.”
He tilted his head, still walking easily even though he wasn’t looking where he placed his feet. It was like he had a sixth sense about the jungle and was in no danger of tripping or falling.
“I think we’re safe now,” he said eventually. “All clans aren’t like my father. I really do believe the Katu are offering us sanctuary. It’s not in their nature to lie.”
“How do you know?” A shudder went through her as she looked around at the panther shifters who stalked next to them and moved silently in the trees above. She hoped they hadn’t heard what she said, but with their animal hearing, they probably had. Had she just pissed them off? Were they taking them home so that they could cook and eat them? Perhaps she hadn’t escaped the fate of being burned alive after all.
Her tears fell faster as she thought about her sister at the mercy of men like Savas. How would he have handled someone with Jude’s strength and cunning? He would’ve killed her or sold her to someone even more menacing than Merick.
Nestan placed a hand on her shoulder, gripping it loosely and guiding her around a moss-covered boulder she hadn’t seen through her tear-filled vision. “We’re safe, Linnea. The Katu are dangerous but they wouldn’t lie to us.”
“But what about Jude, my sister? She’s been here for months. She’s probably suffering or starving or worse.”
“Maybe she’s happy here.”
“No,” she said with conviction. “She wouldn’t leave me behind. She wouldn’t be happy without me. We’ve always been together, and she would never abandon me.”
Silently, Nestan frowned and withdrew his hand.
She missed the warmth of the contact. In the short time since she’d arrived on this planet, the strange man had come to mean something to her even though she wasn’t quite sure what it was. It was like he had drilled his way into her heart, and now that he was there, she couldn’t imagine being without him. Even so, she didn’t know anything about him. It was as if the person who walked next to her was a ghost, and she’d only caught a glimpse of the real man beneath.
She wiped her eyes one more time, and the Draqon climbed around toward the front of her neck, hanging down off her shoulders and demanding to be held in her arms. The poor thing was exhausted as well. And it was hurt.
She held the baby in one arm and stroked its tiny triangular ears with the other hand. It snuggled in against her breast and puffed smoke, making her laugh through her tears.
The foliage grew denser with tangles of hanging vines. After leaping from one tree to another, the Katu climbed down the vines and across what appeared to be a rope ladder. When the group stopped, Linnea nearly crashed into a large, black panther who looked up at her with yellow eyes. She was certain it would devour her if it wanted to.
The Katu leader, Debj’an, shifted back into human form, and Linnea was again struck by how young and lithe she was. Linnea had never looked like that. Never would. She had curves on top of curves and had always been teased for developing earlier than the other girls. But she had no complaints. She loved her body, and the men she spent her time with seemed to love it, too. So, there was nothing to get upset about other than the way her thighs ached and her feet burned from all this walking through the jungle. She simply wasn’t built for it.
Debj’an gestured behind her. “This is our home. Very few have been invited to see inside the Katu den. We have no interest in having any other Vilkas or humans come here. We will protect you and offer you sanctuary until you’re ready to leave. But in exchange, you must promise that you will not betray our secrecy.”
“I understand you have no reason to trust me,” Nestan began, “but I believe you know the Vilkas are not your enemy. The men by the cliffs are not my clan. And my father, Savas, does not have my loyalty. I vow to never betray your secret. Thank you for your protection.”
The formality of their speech surprised Linnea. So far Nestan seemed so human, so like herself, it was easy to forget that he was actually an alien from another planet who could turn into a wolf. Although she hadn’t seen that yet, she kind of wanted to.
With a nod, the leader led them beneath a curtain of vines.
An ancient city overgrown with vines and moss sat beneath the jungle canopy like something out of time. Along the ground, fires burned throughout the space with no organized fashion. Trees grew up through crumbling concrete structures. Atop their limbs, Katu bounded along. It seemed like there were thousands of them, ranging from Katu with gray dotting their black pelts to little cubs peeking yellow eyes around their mothers. Many others lounged in hammocks made from clumped vines, their limbs dangling languidly. Linnea couldn’t imagine sleeping in a place where the ground might fall out from under her at any moment.
A few Katu approached in human form. They wore very little in the way of clothing with the men in simple black pants and the women in sheath dresses, which stopped above the knees. The black clothing against the firelight set off their sun-kissed skin and the hard muscles Katu must develop from living and hunting in the jungle.
It struck Linnea then that Nestan didn’t wear much clothing either—only a pair of tattered pants which he must’ve been wearing for a long time as they were dirty and stained.
A young man with short cropped hair and glowing gold eyes stepped forward, reaching toward Linnea with his palms up. “I understand the Draqon young is injured.” His voice was heavily accented though he spoke in the universal language. “I would like to help it.”
Nestan stepped slightly in front of Linnea. “This Draqon has been offered sanctuary. It’s not to be injured.”
“I understand,” the man said. “As I said, I wish to help it.”
Linnea frowned back and forth between the two men. “First of all, this baby is a boy, not an it. Second of all, you aren’t taking him anywhere without me.”
With a nod of unders
tanding, the young Katu man replied, “We will treat both you and the Draqon at the same time.”
Nestan growled at the back of his throat. “They don’t go anywhere without me.”
Linnea groaned. “Go wash up or do whatever you need to. I’m going to take care of the baby.” Turning on her heel, she walked away from him, not sure where she was going and unwilling to wait for the Katu to show her.
The young Katu man caught up with her. He was likely only a few years younger than her, but much taller. His round face gave the impression of youth. “Your mate seems very protective.”
Linnea stumbled to a stop. “Mate?” she sputtered. “Oh, no. No. Not mate. We helped each other escape. That’s all.”
As she said it, she knew she was lying. Nestan was far more than somebody who’d conveniently been around when she needed help. She felt something when she said his name and when he looked at her with his impenetrable eyes. She wanted to know his secrets, to know his story, and more than anything she needed to hear him laugh again. His laugh told her that the man buried deep inside was worth more than his weight in gold, and he held the key to something missing from her life. But that was a line of thought she wasn’t willing to entertain.
This wasn’t her home. These weren’t her people or even her species. She was here to find Jude and get back home. That was it.
“I am glad to hear you are available then,” the man stated with a broader smile.
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Linnea huffed. She was not in the mood for flirting. “Can we just find the doctor?”
The Katu let out a hearty laugh and gestured with his arms for her to follow him into a nearby structure with crumbling walls and moss covering the exterior stones.
After washing up, changing into a pretty Katu-style dress, and receiving a once over from the doctor, she was declared to be as healthy as possible considering her situation. They applied a salve to her cuts and while it stung at first, it relieved the pain she’d been feeling. When they gave her soft shoes to slip on to replace the now ruined boots she’d had on since leaving Earth, her feet practically cried with relief.
The Draqon was not as good of a patient, setting the table on fire every time the doctor tried to come near. He snuffled and spat at everyone but Linnea. When she offered to hold him for them, the Katu gave her a look, but when the baby was safe with her, all he did was let out a few puffs of smoke in frustration.
Once the baby’s broken wing was set and bound against his side so he wouldn’t accidentally try to open it, Linnea carried him back to the main area. One of the fires had grown significantly and more Katu had shifted into human form, talking and laughing and eating from wooden bowls they passed around.
She placed the baby down, and almost instantly he was surrounded by cubs who curled themselves around him. The Draqon kept his smoky fire to himself and the cubs didn’t extend their claws. Instead, they rolled around and sniffed each other before running off without looking back.
“Don’t worry about them,” Debj’an said as she appeared beside Linnea.
“I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Linnea remembered all the times she and Jude had found a way to have fun even when their world was falling apart around them.
“You should come eat. We set aside food for you and your companion.”
As Linnea and Debj’an approached the larger fire she saw Nestan, clean and bandaged, standing in a group of Katu. He spoke with a vibrancy she hadn’t seen before. She stood too far away to understand what he said, but his face was animated and his smile quick to light up his face. He wore the same kind of pants as the Katu. They hung low on his hips, the firelight showing off the contours of his too thin body. Yet the strength which must have sustained him through such a horrible experience was highlighted. The flickering light showed how his muscles stacked one on top of the other, his arms rounded and strong, his shoulders—now looser and relaxed—displaying the broad chest and strong back muscles that spoke of a life of physical activity.
Linnea’s mouth went dry. She had known he was attractive, and she couldn’t deny the physical response she had to his presence. But seeing him clean of all the dirt, blood, and grime, his injuries cared for, and the scowl removed from his forehead was different. He was stunning. He was a testament to his people, whoever these other Vilkas were.
For the first time, Linnea thought that if Jude had found herself with someone as good as Nestan was, then maybe she was all right.
But as much as she hoped Jude was safe somewhere, it would mean Jude had chosen Kladuu over Linnea.
With that confusing thought nagging her, she approached Nestan as he told the Katu about how the Hylas were buying humans from Savas to serve as physical laborers or concubines.
“The Hylas are supposed to have an alliance with Gerrit’s Vilkas, which means no flesh trade,” Debj’an said.
Nestan frowned. “It appears the Hyla can’t be trusted. They’ve always struck me as to two-faced.”
“Slimy,” one of the Katu interjected, and everyone laughed.
Nestan nodded. “Yes, and now we have proof. I must get back to Alpha Gerrit and let him know they have betrayed us. I know you don’t take interest in the politics of the other clans, but I thank you for making it possible for me to warn my people.”
With a nod of acknowledgment, Debj’an settled on the ground, inviting everyone else to sit with her as bowls were placed in front of Linnea and Nestan. No utensils were provided but flatbread laid on the plate. Linnea was so hungry she didn’t hesitate before ripping off a chunk and scooping food into her mouth.
Flavors burst across her tongue. She couldn’t be sure if she was simply starving or if the food was as good as it seemed, but this had to be the single best meal she had ever eaten. Moaning her appreciation, she nodded at the Katu, who smiled every time she met their eyes. She didn’t know anything about these different clans or why they didn’t get along, but the Katu didn’t seem to be so bad.
When she’d mostly finished her meal and had slowed her pace, Debj’an spoke up. “Tell us about the baby Draqon.”
The leader’s voice was friendly, but Linnea heard the strain behind it as the gaggle of cubs and one giant, rambunctious Draqon ran past the fire.
The Draqon stopped and stepped toward the fire, sniffing it and tilting his head toward the flames. She almost thought the baby seemed nostalgic like it recognized something in the flames. But after a moment, the playful cubs drew him back in.
“After I arrived, the other human women were …” Linnea took a deep breath before saying anything else, tears welling up in her eyes again. “They were burned alive. I was spared because I wasn’t ill like the others. Nestan stood up for me and the other women, which landed us both in one of the prisons. In the cell next to us, the baby Draqon was locked away alone.”
Debj’an’s fangs extended and a rumbling that spoke of violence burst through. “Were any other clan members locked away as well?”
Linnea shook her head at the same time Nestan spoke up. “I did not see any others when I was there.”
Debj’an’s shoulders relaxed, but she gripped her knees with her hands, long nails digging into her flesh. “We believe that Savas has been catching young who cannot transform back into their human form. Not just our cubs, but we’ve heard murmurs in the jungle that other clans have missing young, too.”
Nestan placed his plate on the floor, having eaten only half his food. “Linnea,” he said, turning his strained eyes on her, “tell them what you heard on Earth. About the human commander.”
Linnea’s spine stiffened as everyone’s focus swung toward her. “I overheard the flesh traders talking about Commander Gideon. He’s our military’s leader. They spoke of him as if he was letting them take the women from Earth, maybe even helping to kidnap them.”
“What does that have to do with the trapped young being taken? I do not care for human affairs,” Debj’an snapped, her eyes narrowing on Linnea.
“I think my fath
er is trading trapped shifters for human women to sell on Kladuu,” Nestan said, drawing the Katu leader’s attention. “He’s betrayed us to the humans.”
Everyone in the circle sat in a moment of horrified silence as they considered his scenario. The fire crackled next to them, giving the words he had just spoken an eerie sense of foreboding. No one spoke for a few moments, the idea of what he had presented too horrible to consider.
Finally, Debj’an spoke. “If that is true then your father has doomed us all. The humans will not stop until they have taken our world from us.”
“My father wasn’t always a bad man, and he loves Kladuu.” Nestan shook his head. “At least, he used to. Perhaps this Draqon young was to be the first trade with the humans. Maybe we stopped the exchange before it happened. If I can get home to Clan Vilka, my Alpha can handle this situation. We will stop my father, but we might need your help. One clan alone cannot take on Savas and the humans.”
“The Katu do not make alliances. We are free of that nonsense.” The leader’s face twitched in anger, her eyes a deep, burnished yellow. Linnea didn’t think that was a good sign.
“I understand,” Nestan replied, his voice relaxed, his hands laying casually atop his legs. “You are wise to avoid the politics. The Hylas betrayal of the Vilkas proves that. But I’m afraid this isn’t a fight you can sit out of.”
“Oh?” Debj’an cocked her head, looking like a predator who liked to play with her food before eating it. “And why is that?”
“Because if we rid Kladuu of my father …” Nestan’s voice turned strained and he paused to clear his throat. His eyes found Linnea’s and she offered him a small smile of reassurance. Turning back to Debj’an, he continued, “If we rid Kladuu of my father, we eliminate the flesh trade once and for all, as well as the connection to the human military.”